Fish, minus environmental water, equals mass death events

More reports of dead native fish floating in their thousands in the Lower Darling sends a dreadful signal on the health of the River.

“This is what a river in death throes looks like. Between the Government handing water to big corporate irrigators, the Murray Darling Basin Plan not accounting for climate change, and mismanagement of environmental flows, our river – and our native fish – are dying,” Greens environment and water spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said.

“The Greens have been fighting for more water for the environment to prevent massive species loss and toxic algae outbreaks. The river needs water to survive.

“At every turn the State and Federal Governments are working to take more and more water away from an already struggling environment; including holding back the 450GL promised to South Australia, and draining the Menindee lakes.

“It is not good enough for bureaucrats to say this issue is contained to the Lower Darling. Generations of fish are dying in spawning waters. These incidents will have repercussions throughout the Lower Darling and into the Murray where hundreds of thousands of fish could be affected.

“The Government is blaming drought to cover up the fact that they’ve allowed water to be ripped away from the environment, putting this precious ecosystem at serious risk.

“The Murray-Darling Basin Plan is failing to return the water promised, and needed, to keep the system alive. Every time the Federal Government cuts water to environment in favour of big corporate irrigators and the cotton industry, the River gets sicker.”